Clothes-rack



(No Model.)

G. ALEXANDER & R. JOHNSON. CLOTHES RACK.

Patented 1360.22, 1891.

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NiTnn STATES PATENT Orificeg GEORGE ALEXANDER, OF JAMAICA, AND ROBERT JOHNSON, OF BROOKLYN,

. NEV YORK. Y

CLOTHES-RACK.

SPECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,551, dated December 22, 1891. Application filed March 16, 1891. Serial No. 385.149. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE ALEXANDER,

`residing at Jamaica, Queens' county, and

ROBERT JOHNSON, residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, State of New York, both citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Racks and Extensible Standards Thercfor, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Our invention consistsin the various novel and peculiar combinations and arrangements of the several parts of the rack and the extensible standard, all as hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings of a rack and extensible standard made in accordance with our invention, Figure 1 is a side view thereof, with the bracket for .the hangerarms, the adj nstableclamp for the standard, and the upper part of the lower member of the standard shown in central vertical section, and with the hanger-arms broken away at their outer ends, the hangerarm at the right-hand side of the view being illustrated as adjusted in position of use, while that at the left is lowered into position of disuse. Fig. 2 is a view of a section taken on a plane indicated by line 2 2, Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the adjacent arrow, the hanger-arms of the rack being adjusted in position of use. Fig. 3 is a view of a section `taken on a plane indicated by line 3 3, Fig.

an extended base 6, of any suitable and preferred shape, which is designed to rest upon any stationary or firm object, such as a shelf u, or the door 7 of a room. A second post or member 8 is mounted upon the post 5, parallel therewith, and is vertically adjustable thereon, the two said posts or members together constituting an extensible standard 5 S. The upper end of post 8 is provided with a broad flattened part or head 9, aii'ordingan extended surface for engaging with an overhead fixture or the ceiling 10.

The two posts or members 5 8 are adjust-V ably secured together by the following means: The upper post 8, which is mounted, preferably, upon the side of post .5,has a clamp 11, secured fast thereto, and consisting in a yoke 12, passing around the post 8 and secured thereto by a suitable screw 13 or otherwise, and arranged obliquely at an angle of about forty-ve degrees. This yoke of the clamp embraces the post 5, and is provided with an obliquely-arranged set or tension screw 114,

`which works in a screw-threaded opening 15 in the yoke. The foot of the screw 14. engages with the series of notches or teeth of a suitable rack 16, arranged longitudinally of the post upon the opposite side thereof from wherethe upper post 5 is mounted. By releasing t-he screw 14 and sliding the postS up or down the standard may be accordingly lengthened or shortened, and may be then held in such adjustment by turning the screw down so as to bind against the tooth opposite to it. Both faces of the teeth of the rack 16 are inclined so that the foot of the set-screw 14. may bear flatly against the inclined faces 17 of the teeth. After the standard has been adjusted to lit between two fixed objectssuch as the door 7 and the ceiling 10-it may be held in such position under tension by forcibly turning down the screw 1-1, as will be readily understood from Fig. 1. The rack 16 is sunk in the side face of the post 5 and does not project beyond the surface thereof, so that it affords no obstruction to the clamp in adjusting the standard. In this way the standard may be securedin position in a suitable place, so that it cannot be tilted oreven moved out of place. At the same time it can be readily released and removed and set up in another place, as desired. Y

In order to give greater vertical stability to the adjustable post 8, we set the same in a groove 18, formed longitudinally of the lower IOO post 5, and we also provide the upper part of post 5 with a strap 19, through which the upper post 8 loosely passes.

Upon the upperpost 3 is mounted a bracket 20, formed with a central openin g 21 forloosely receiving the cylindrical post 8, along which it may be adjusted. The bracket is made, preferably, circular in shape, though it may be made to assume any desired shape. A series of radially-arranged slots 22 22 is formed inthe outer edge or periphery of the bracket, and across each slot, near its outer end, is placed a hinge-pin 23. As the slots 22 are close together, the hinge-pins 23 are conveniently provided by sinking a wire or metallic rod in a groove 24, cut in a circumferential edge of the bracket, as will be understood from Fig. 3.

In each slot 22 is hung a movable hangerarm 25, which is formed with 'a longitudinal slot 26, the vplane of which is at right angles to the laxis of the hinge-pin. This hinge-slot or elongated eye 26 of the hinge-arm may be formed in the 'material of the arm itself, though We have shown it as formed, preferably, by mea-ns of a Wireeloop or "staple v27, which is secured in one side of the arm near its end. Thisslot 26 is provided for the end- Wi'se movement 'or reciproca'tion of the hang- Gr-arm in addition to its swinging movement lon its hingepin, so that when the -a'rm is swung from its 'depending vpositionyas shown at 'the left of Fig. 1, linto-about Ia horizontal piosition, as shown at therightrof said figure, it may be held in such latter position by pushing the rod inwardly on itis length toward the center of the bracket 2O until its inner end takes under a ledge or lip 28, which is disposed ne'ar the inner end of each of the slots '22. This locking-'lip 28 is shown vas (a continuous circular part of the bracket vand. is made in :one piece therewith, though it need not necessarily be so made. By `moving the hanger-arms and placing them as just described tjhey are firmly set in horizontal position for use, as shown at the right hand of Fig. 1, and in this position they will serve 4to sustain the weight-of any articles or -goods with which they are designed to be used. The hanger-arms may, of course, `be made to project at a slight inclination to the horizontal when adjusted for use, and. may be constructed in any desired shape and of any desired length, the lengths shown being somewhat ou't of proportion to the height of the apparatusas the arms are broken off at their outer ends for the convenience of illustration.

After the arms 25 are adjusted for use provision is made for locking them against endwise displacement by means of anotch 29,

formed in the edge of each arm near its end,

and a rib or projection V30, extending from ythe under sideof the locking-lip 28, the ends of the arms being rounded at 40, in order to slide easily over the rib when being adj usted for use. This rib 30 is extended in a circle about the central opening of the bracket upon provided with a fastening device, consisting in an eye or ring 34, secured to the cords, and a hook or pin 35, fixed near the base of the standard. As the rack carried by the standard is rev'oluble thereon, the frame or block 36, in which the guide-pulleys 33 are set, is mounted upon the standard, so -as to revolve also. The cords 31 are conveniently passed through lperforations 37 37'-, extending vertically through the bracket 20, vone at either Vside'of the central opening thereof. In this way the guide-pulley mounting may be revolved with the rack. A

If desired, there may be a vertically-arranged series of fasteningpins 35, placed on the lower part of the standard, so that the rack may be held in different vertical adjustments.

The rack and standard are to be made of suitable materials, partly of woodand partly of nietahas preferred. The bracket 2O of the rack vmay be turned 'down from a single piece of wood,'o`r may be formed of a single metallic casting. The standard may be used with any character of rack, and when extended to ltit snugly in between two lixed objects-ier instance, the 'ceilin g and`iioorit may be read ily-secured v'in such position under tension by tightening `the screw 14. Instead o'f securing it between the ceiling and floor, it may be set between two suitable projections or shelves, and wherever it may be placed it can be secured against tilt-ing over 'by reason Vof its being jammed lor forced in between two ixed objects.

The rack may be used for the purpose of displayingor exhibiting articles of goods in stores or for drying clothes, or for any simi larand suitable purpose.

Since the hanger-arms may be folded iin closely tothe standard and thelatter lshort ened considerably, the entire device can be 4packed up'in a small compass for storage or for transportation.

Instead of having the arms 25 arranged over an entire circle, only half the number may be used, and the same seton a half-circle in cases where it is desired. to set the apparatus in close to a wall.

Having thus described our improvements in racks land :extensible standards therefor, what Weclaim as our invention,and desire to secure by Letterslatent, is-

1. The combination of an extensible vstand- "ard comprising a vertical post or member provided with a longitudinally-disposed rack or series of notches having inclined faces, and a IOO IIC)

second post or member vertically adjustable thereon and provided with an obliquely-arranged tension-screw adapted to engage the inclined faces of said rack or notches, the said latter post or member provided with a set of hanger-arms and adapted to engage with its upper end a fixed point-for instance, the ceilin gwhereby the standard may be set in fixed position, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of two posts or ineinbers adjustable lengthwise on each other, one of said members provided with a longitudinally-disposed rack formed with teeth having inclined faces, the other said member provided with a releasable adjusting-clamp consisting in a yoke or collar mounted obliquely thereon and embracing the said rst member and provided with a set-screw disposed obliquely in the yoke, and its foot adaptedto engage flatly one of the inclined faces of the teeth, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a post or standard, of a rack having hanger-arms, and provided with a bracket 20, formed with a central opening 21 for receiving the post, said bracket being revoluble and vertically adjustable upon the post of a cross arm or block 36, provided with a central eye for receiving the post and mounted thereon at the head of the post, so as to revolve in the horizontal, a guide-pulley 33, arranged at each end of the arm or block 36, and cords 31 31, secured each by one end to the bracket 20, and passing over said pulleys 31 31 downwardly toward the base of the post or standard, Where they are provided with a releasable fastening device, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands and affixed our sealsl this 9th day of March, 1891, in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

eno. ALEXANDER. [L s. Roer. JoHNsoN. Les.

Witnesses:

F. B. NIEBRUGGE, CHAs. H. DAY. 

